"SOCIALISM...I AIN'T BUYING IT"

I remember as a youth jamming to the Steve Miller Band song “Jet Airliner”.  On my album, there was a line, “I don’t want to get caught up in any of that, funky (kicks) going down in the city.”  I remember hearing my friends version of that song where they used the word “sh—“ instead of “kicks”…it seemed to my young mind a little scandalous!  I remember wondering how my friend was able to get this “scandalous” version …I felt a little slighted!   I remember first hearing Nazareth’s “Hair of the Dog” tune ... my friends and I (perhaps feeling rebellious) at times emphasized the last couple words of the line, “Now you’re messin’ with a ……..”.  A forbidden word we with youthful exuberance shouted because it shocked the status quo.  I didn’t see too many older folks singing that line at the time.  Today it seems a song isn’t a hit unless it has one of the once “forbidden” colorful words(even sung by older folks)…..a saddening turn of events. 

I think “Socialism” is a lot like one of those old forbidden terms.  I remember learning in American history class of our liberty and independence and what pride we had as Americans.  America was proud of its “capitalism” as the best form of government enabling us to become the wealthiest nation in the world.   If anyone claimed to be a “Socialist” we wondered what was wrong with them.  It was one of those terms we were rather shocked to hear much as those old songs that first began the now en-vogue swearing lyrics.  Today many seem to be clamoring to socialism…perhaps to shock the status quo.

Today with social media and with the elections here…we hear “socialism” shouted with youthful exuberance….and why not?  Sounds great…free healthcare, education, $15 minimum wage.  It’s like going to a restaurant with a group where everything is put into one check.  Everybody pitches in and it sounds like a good idea.  But inevitably, someone ends up eating like a king for what they put in and someone else ends up paying way too much for just having a soda.  No one can figure out the right math and how it went wrong so they just pitch in. 

I have heard so many definitions and arguments for how “socialism” is now good for us.   I believe I know what all the socialist governing philosophies are and I still think it is not the best way to govern a country as large and diverse as ours.  We have hundreds of millions of people in the US, with 50 states and 50 different governing bodies and you cannot, in my opinion govern the large US like you can a smaller Sweden or Denmark.  It is like comparing a car with a train.  There are many things a small car can do that a big train cannot do.  Conversely, there is protection in having many cars and you have abilities to do things when you have the protection of the large train.

The US needs to be the large economic power in order for all the smaller socialist nations to survive and thrive.  These socialist countries need a capitalistic machine somewhere churning out innovation, food, trade, wealth and military might.  Every country must account for the US before tackling any fiscal equations. 

Size does matter.  What works in New Hampshire may not work in Arizona.  If Vermont wants single payer medicine…they can pass it…good for them.  If you don’t like it…you don’t have to live there.  But if we nationalize Vermont’s healthcare in Texas or Hawaii…it’s a different matter.  This is why we have the 10^th Amendment.  Once something is centrally planned there is no opting out.  This is how a Democratic Socialism slowly becomes the dreaded Communism (last I looked I believe that is still one of the forbidden words).  You are given one option.  For socialism to work, mandates must be placed on the population and you are given NO choice.  At least for now, nobody wants Communism in the US

I realize as we continue to give people fish instead of teaching them how to fish, those people will be more and more convincing to accept socialism and we will get more candidates like Bernie Sanders getting popular.  Capitalism built the US into the super power that it is.  We are the greatest nation on the earth.  As the British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher pointed out (to paraphrase), “the trouble with socialism is that you eventually run out of other peoples money.” 

Socialism is an enticing debate but, “I don’t want to get caught up in any of that, funky sh—going down in the city”.  Thank you for your sales pitch but, to use a Capitalistic term….I ain’t buying it.